way agreeable?"

Nancy smiled delightedly.

"You couldn't drive me out of Sachigo till I've peeked into all your
secrets down there," she said.

Bull leant forward with his arms outspread across the desk.

"Great!" he cried. "And," he added, "you shall see them all. The things
I can't show you Bat will. And if I'm a judge that old rascal'll be
tickled to death handing his dope out to you. But--let's get to
business."

Nancy sat up. In a moment all ease was banished. She knew the great
moment had come when she must prove herself to those who had entrusted
her with her mission.

"Yes," she said, almost hurriedly. "I don't know the word Mr. Peterman
sent you. And anyway it doesn't matter. I must put things my way. You
are a great enterprise here. We are a great enterprise. It looks to us a
pretty tough clash is bound to come between us in the near future,
and--there should be no necessity for it. There's room--plenty of
room--for both of us in our trade--"

She paused. The keen eyes of Bull were closely observing. He realised
her attitude. Her words and tone were almost mechanical, as though she
had schooled herself and rehearsed her lesson. And her voice was not
quite steady. He jumped in with the swift impulse of a man whose rivalry
could not withstand that sign of a beautiful girl's distress.

"Here," he cried, with that command so natural to him. "Just don't say
another word. Let me talk. I guess I can tell you the things it's up to
you to hand me. It'll save you a deal, and it'll hand me a chance to
blow off the hot air that's mostly my way. This is the position.
Peterman's wise to the things doing right here. The Skandinavia's up
against years of cutting on the Shagaunty. The Shagaunty's played right
out. You folks have got to open new stuff. It's my job to know all this.
Very well. As I said, Peterman's at last got wise to us. He knows we
look like flooding the market, and jumping right in on him. So--you're a
mighty wealthy corporation--he figures to recognise us, and embrace
us--with a business arrangement. That so?"

"Yes. A business arrangement."

The girl's relief was almost pathetic. Bull smiled.

"That's so. A business arrangement. Should I entertain one, eh? That's
the question you're right here to ask. And you want to take back my
answer." He paused. "Well, you're going to take back my answer. And I
kind of feel it's the answer you'll like taking back. Say, Miss
McDonald, I'm only a youngster,